CHAPTER FIVE
1166 Words
ABOVE THE HORRIDS
CHAPTER FIVE
The secrets surrounding Ellen were no longer buried.
They were beginning to surface.
And when they did, nothing in their lives would remain the same.
The broken pieces of glass glittered across Tania's bedroom floor like scattered diamonds.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
Their mother stared at the shattered mirror.
Confused.
Concerned.
Frightened.
"What happened?" she asked again.
Tania opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
How could she explain what she had just seen?
A woman inside a mirror.
A silent warning.
A message that made no sense.
Help her.
Help Ellen.
But from what?
And why?
When she looked toward the doorway, Ellen was gone.
Again.
Just gone.
As though she had never entered the room.
Tania's pulse refused to slow.
"I..."
Her voice cracked.
"I thought I saw something."
Their mother sighed.
"A nightmare?"
"No."
"Tania—"
"It wasn't a nightmare."
The firmness in her voice silenced the older woman.
For a moment neither spoke.
Then her mother carefully stepped around the broken glass.
"We'll talk in the morning."
"No."
"Tania."
"I need answers."
Her mother's shoulders stiffened.
Immediately.
Tania noticed.
The reaction was too quick.
Too defensive.
As though she already knew exactly what Tania wanted to ask.
"What happened to Ellen?"
Silence.
The storm outside roared.
Rain battered the windows.
Thunder rolled across the sky.
Still her mother said nothing.
Finally she looked away.
"You should sleep."
The answer angered Tania instantly.
"No."
"Tania."
"What happened to her?"
The older woman's eyes glistened.
A sadness flashed across her face.
Raw.
Painful.
Ancient.
Then she whispered something that made Tania's blood run cold.
"If I tell you too soon, you'll hate me."
Before Tania could respond, her mother walked out.
Leaving her alone.
Leaving her with more questions than answers.
---
The next morning arrived grey and gloomy.
Clouds covered the sky.
The house felt strangely tense.
As though everyone was waiting for something.
Breakfast passed quietly.
Ellen sat at the table.
Calm.
Composed.
Silent.
Exactly as always.
Yet Tania couldn't stop staring.
The events of the previous night replayed endlessly in her mind.
The mirror.
The woman.
The warning.
And the fear she'd seen in Ellen's eyes.
Something was coming.
Something even Ellen feared.
The realization unsettled her.
Ellen finally looked up.
"What?"
The question caught Tania off guard.
"What what?"
"You're staring."
"I have reasons."
Ellen lowered her gaze.
"I know."
Three simple words.
Yet something about them felt heavy.
Meaningful.
Almost apologetic.
Their mother quickly changed the subject.
"We have guests arriving later."
Tania frowned.
"Who?"
"Lawyers."
That immediately caught her attention.
"Why?"
Neither woman answered.
The silence told her everything.
Whatever was happening involved Ellen.
Again.
---
By afternoon, the house was filled with unfamiliar faces.
Men in expensive suits.
Women carrying briefcases.
Documents passed from one person to another.
Legal language floated through the air.
Tania sat quietly near the staircase.
Watching.
Listening.
Observing.
Eventually curiosity won.
She slipped closer to the study.
The door stood slightly open.
Just enough to hear.
"...the will remains unchanged."
Tania froze.
Will?
Another voice answered.
"Everything transfers according to Augustus's instructions."
Augustus.
Immediately her attention sharpened.
Someone cleared his throat.
"There is one concern."
"What concern?"
"The condition."
Silence followed.
Long.
Uncomfortable.
Then a lawyer spoke carefully.
"If the truth becomes public, there could be complications."
Tania's stomach tightened.
Truth?
What truth?
Before she could hear more, a hand touched her shoulder.
She nearly screamed.
Ellen.
Standing behind her.
Silent as always.
Watching.
"Listening to private conversations is rude."
Tania glared.
"Sneaking up on people is worse."
Ellen almost smiled.
Almost.
Then the expression vanished.
"You should stay away from this."
"Why?"
No answer.
"Everything involves you."
Still silence.
"Ellen."
Her sister's eyes softened slightly.
"Tania."
"What aren't you telling me?"
For the first time, genuine sadness crossed Ellen's face.
The kind of sadness people carried when they knew a painful truth.
"When the time comes, you'll understand."
Tania groaned.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The mysterious nonsense."
A faint smile appeared.
A real one this time.
Small.
Brief.
Gone within seconds.
Yet it surprised Tania.
Because Ellen almost never smiled.
Not anymore.
---
That evening Farida arrived.
Uninvited.
As usual.
The moment she entered the house she grinned.
"This place feels haunted."
Tania pointed dramatically.
"THANK YOU."
Farida laughed.
"I knew it."
Their mother shook her head.
"You two are impossible."
Farida hugged her quickly before dropping onto the couch.
Then her eyes landed on Ellen.
"Oh."
Ellen looked up.
Farida smiled politely.
"Nice to finally meet Ghost."
Tania nearly choked laughing.
Their mother looked horrified.
Ellen merely blinked.
Unbothered.
Farida leaned closer to Tania.
"You weren't exaggerating."
"What did I tell you?"
"She actually appears out of nowhere."
Tania nodded proudly.
"Exactly."
For the first time all day, the atmosphere felt normal.
Almost.
Yet beneath the laughter something darker lingered.
Something unseen.
Waiting.
Watching.
---
Night came quickly.
The storm returned.
Stronger than before.
Farida stayed over because driving home in the weather felt dangerous.
The two friends spent hours talking.
Laughing.
Complaining.
Anything to distract Tania from everything else.
Eventually exhaustion won.
Farida fell asleep first.
The house became silent.
Again.
Tania stared at the ceiling.
Unable to rest.
Then she heard it.
A sound.
Soft.
Faint.
Coming from outside.
She sat upright.
Listening.
The sound came again.
Whispering.
Someone was whispering her name.
"Tania..."
Her entire body froze.
The voice sounded distant.
Almost carried by the wind.
"Tania..."
Farida continued sleeping peacefully.
Apparently hearing nothing.
The whisper came again.
Louder.
Closer.
Tania climbed from bed.
Slowly approaching the window.
The garden below stretched into darkness.
Rain poured heavily.
Branches swayed violently.
Everything appeared normal.
Then lightning flashed.
For a split second she saw a figure standing beneath the old oak tree.
A man.
Tall.
Motionless.
Watching the house.
Watching her.
The darkness returned.
The figure vanished.
Tania's breath caught.
Another flash.
The man remained there.
Still watching.
Not moving.
Not blinking.
Just staring.
A chill raced down her spine.
Then she noticed something even worse.
The figure wasn't looking at her anymore.
His attention had shifted.
Toward Ellen's bedroom.
The realization hit instantly.
Whoever he was...
He hadn't come for Tania.
He had come for Ellen.
Suddenly another lightning flash illuminated the garden.
This time the figure moved.
One slow step forward.
Then another.
Then another.
Heading directly toward the house.
Tania stumbled backward.
Her pulse exploded.
"Farida."
No response.
"Farida!"
The girl jerked awake.
"What?!"
"Someone's outside."
Farida rubbed her eyes.
"What?"
Tania pointed toward the window.
Both girls rushed over.
Lightning flashed again.
The garden stood empty.
No figure.
No movement.
Nothing.
Farida groaned.
"You almost gave me a heart attack."
"I saw him."
"Sure."
"I'm serious."
Before Farida could respond, a scream echoed through the house.
A woman's scream.
Raw.
Terrified.
Desperate.
Both girls froze.
The scream came again.
This time unmistakable.
From downstairs.
From Ellen's room.
And suddenly every light in the house went out.
Complete darkness swallowed everything.
- Writer
